Stratford brothers jailed for terrorist offences
Mohommod and Hamza Nawaz - Credit: MPS
Two brothers from Stratford have today become the first people in the country to be jailed for terrorist offences after returning from Syria.
Mohommod Hassin Nawaz, 31, was sentenced to four and a half years behind bars for conspiracy to attend a place used for terrorist training, while his brother Hamza Nawaz, 23, was jailed for three years.
The pair, both from Dirleton Road, pleaded guilty to the charge at the Old Bailey in May.
Mohommod Hassin Nawaz also admitted to possession of ammunition.
They were stopped at Dover after arriving on a ferry from Calais in the early hours of September 16, 2013.
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Police searched them and the Peugeout 206 they were travelling in and found five rounds of ammunition, mobile phones and a sim card with photos, video clips and texts relating to training camps and a balaclava and heavy duty clothing.
The brothers were also in possession of various travel documents showing their movements.
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They were arrested under the Terrorism Act and charged six days later.
Detectives from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command found they had travelled to Syria to attend a camp with the intention of learning skills that could be used for the purposes of terrorism.
Acting commander Terri Nicholson said:
“The sentence highlights the critical work police and security services carry out to identify individuals returning from conflict zones. This comes at a time when the global concern about the threat posed by returnees is intensifying.
“We need communities and families to bring to our attention anyone they perceive may be vulnerable, a danger or showing signs of radicalisation before they choose to travel.
“Preventing tragedies is our priority and together with our partners we have a range of options available to support families and individuals at risk.”
